While you’re here, can you help support our work by making a donation? We are an independent charity and rely on donations to continue our work for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison. Please help us secure our future by donating and adding your voice to our movement for change.

In this section

The Howard League is conducting a three year programme, supported by Lloyds Bank Foundation, to reduce the arrests of women and stem the flow of women into the criminal justice system.

The programme aims to replicate our successful work over the past decade to reduce the number of child arrests and bring about a reduction in the arrests of women. We want to promote good practice by the police and other agencies and prevent women ending up in the penal system on a community penalty or in prison when it is unnecessary.

There are many women who are arrested who do not need to be caught in the criminal justice net. Women who are drunk or vulnerable who need a safe space, not a spell in a police cell.

We will look at disproportionality and arrests. Home Office data show that black women are more than twice as likely to be arrested as white women yet the Lammy review found that once arrested, black women were less likely than white women to face prosecution.

A significant number of women who come into contact with the criminal justice system have complex needs. The Government’s female offender strategy published in June 2018 stated that ‘coming into contact with the criminal justice system, and in particular custody, can undermine the ability of women to address the issues that have caused their offending’.

Our programme will look at how women with complex needs can be diverted to more appropriate services such as women’s centres, prior to arrest.

Our work will focus on making a real difference to the lives of tens of thousands of women who come into contact with the police each year, and to the police so they don’t have to waste time caring for vulnerable women at a time when their resources could be better deployed.

Keep informed on the progress of our work to reduce the arrests of women.

If you wish to be kept up to date with our progress, please complete the form below.

Name*

FirstLast

Email*

Enter EmailConfirm Email

I would like to be kept informed about the programme to reduce the arrests of women.

I would like to receive general updates on the work of the Howard League

CAPTCHA

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales partners with small and local charities who help people overcome complex social issues. Through long-term funding, developmental support and influencing policy and practice, the Foundation helps those charities make life-changing impact. The Foundation is an independent charitable trust funded by the profits of Lloyds Banking Group as part of their commitment to Helping Britain Prosper.